


A Good Night's Sleep

by Ravensdawn



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: First Time, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Napping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-14 17:48:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8023300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravensdawn/pseuds/Ravensdawn
Summary: What starts as sleeping together ends up as sleeping together.





	1. The Things We Do to Sleep At Night

The first time it was just one of those things and no one really commented too much. It was a long ride back from the desert and they were all traveling together. Lisbon was driving, of course. Rigsby called shotgun and with his long legs, no one really fought him for it. Jane and Cho went to opposite sides of the vehicle and got in. Van Pelt got in on Jane’s side and made him shove over to the middle. He did, but not without grumbling a bit.  
On the road, Cho turned on his light and read his book, while Van Pelt dozed off. Patrick soon followed, his head drooping. Then he fell to the side, sound asleep on Cho’s shoulder. Cho looked up, sighed and left him alone. He couldn’t be bothered to move him. Until Rigsby noticed, that is. He nudged Lisbon, who looked in the rear view mirror, then grinned conspiratorially at Rigsby.  
“Aaaawwwww!” they both said and Lisbon tapped the brakes a bit to rouse Jane. He sat up with a start, sheepishly making eye contact with Cho. Inwardly Cho thought, “They couldn’t just let him sleep?” and then wondered where that thought came from. Outwardly, Cho, just nodded, shrugged, and went back to his reading.

  
Another hour or so and now Van Pelt was scrolling through her phone once she got a signal again. Cho was nodding off himself and Patrick had ages ago gone back to sleep, chin to chest. Lisbon turned an especially sharp corner and Patrick fell on Cho’s shoulder once again. In his sleep, Cho shifted around and the two of them ended up with Jane’s curls under Cho’s ear. Cho’s arm was practically wrapped around Jane, both happily sleeping. This time no one did anything, but there were a lot of questioning glances.

  
The next time it was Jane’s couch. They’ve been looking through old files, Cho had joined Patrick on the couch. They had been reading files for hours, getting nowhere. It was getting late and Cho’s back was beginning to hurt, not that he’d say anything. He stretched and leaned back, resting his eyes. Jane didn’t even notice at first, but Cho hadn’t moved for several minutes. Jane looked over at Cho, smiled a little smile at his coworker and went back to reading, leaving Cho to rest. Few minutes later, Patrick felt Cho’s head kind of on his side, kind of on his back. He’d fallen over in his sleep. Thinking his back would be better off lying down, Jane tried to lie him down flat. He tried to take Cho by the shoulders to turn him parallel to the couch. In the process Cho’s head ended up resting on Jane’s thighs. Jane decided to give in to his fate, at least Cho’s back was flat against the couch and he could keep reading files whether Cho was there or not. Jane folded his jacket to make a pillow for Cho. It was a testament to how tired everyone was that Cho never even stirred. Lisbon came in and her eyebrows nearly reached her hairline. Jane tried to act nonchalant, waving off Lisbon’s questioning stare.

  
“He fell asleep, what am I supposed to do, wake him? Would you seriously wake up Cho?” Jane whispered, trying his best to make it seem that Cho sleeping on Jane’s lap was something that happened every day.

  
“I might,” Lisbon whispered back. “You should get him to go home.”

  
“Meh, it’s fine, really”

.  
Lisbon shook her head, but said no more about it. She packed up her things, whispered good night to Jane, and took herself home.

  
Jane finally put down his files and leaned back. He shifted around a bit until he could rest his head on the back of the couch. He really slept. Protecting Cho while he slept made him feel useful, even in his sleep. At some point in the night, they shifted around. Patrick on his side, head resting on the arm rest with Cho in front also on his side, using Patrick’s arm as a pillow. Patrick hadn’t slept so well in ages, even if it was just a few hours.  
It didn’t make the morning any less awkward, though. Cho nearly ran from the couch, mumbling something about needing to go home for a bit and he’d be back as soon as he could. Barely awake, Jane couldn’t gather his thoughts fast enough to make any argument. His arms felt empty.

  
The day continued to be awkward and it started to irritate Jane. Cho wouldn’t look at him. The other team members were starting to notice. Jane just shrugged when they looked to him for an explanation. Finally, they were saved by the murder of a young woman. God what was his life that a murder would have any good aspects to it? So on their way out, Jane pulled Cho aside. Jane raised his palms and shrugged with a questioning look on his face. “We’re good, right?”  
Cho took a deep breath and looked down. “Yeah, we’re good.”  
That apparently was all Cho was going to say on the topic. At least after that, there didn’t seem to be any more awkwardness, leaving Jane to wonder if there ever was any in the first place.

Another week or so went by, another late night. Jane, once again, was asleep on his couch. Everyone had gone home, except Cho.  
“Jane….Jane,” Cho, gently shaking his shoulder, tried to say his name just loud enough to wake him. Jane opened his eyes and saw Cho. Without a word he opened up his arms, snuggled back into the couch and patted the spot in front of him, a smug grin on his sleepy face.

  
“I slept so well last time.” Cho stated as a matter of fact.

  
“Me, too. C’mon. I won’t tell anyone.”

  
“Ok, but I’m getting the blanket.”

  
The night didn’t go quite as platonically as planned. Jane woke chest to chest with Cho. His arms were wrapped around him, Cho gently snoring on his chest. Cho’s leg was thrown over Jane’s waist. It was like holding a giant teddy bear. Jane was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable he was, Cho’s weight on him, his warmth, it was all so nice. He didn’t quite kiss the top of Cho’s head as kind of rub his mouth in his hair. Cho hugged him even closer in his sleep. There’d probably be hell to pay in the morning, but Jane couldn’t ruin such a good thing, and thought, “Screw it” and went back to sleep.

  
It was Rigsby who discovered them. He woke them with a look of confusion and something like amusement all over his face.

“I like to sleep. I sleep better this way,” Cho stated by way of explanation.

  
“You want to give it a try tonight, Rigsby?” Jane wiggled his eyebrows. “I’m very soothing.”

  
Cho rolled his eyes, Rigsby chuckled. “You two are lucky it was me, not Lisbon or Van Pelt. You’d never hear the end of it.”

  
Jane noticed Cho didn’t run this time.

 

 

  
The next Friday, it was Jane that sought out Cho. He knocked on Cho’s door. As always, it was late, you know, the time at night where concerns of the day don’t seem to matter. Cho, barefoot in sweat shorts and a tattered t-shirt, opened the door. He should have been surprised to see Jane, but he wasn’t. He didn’t even bother to ask how Jane knew where he lived. It was easy enough to find out, and of course Jane knew.

  
“I can’t sleep,” is how Jane greeted him.

  
Cho just turned and led the way.  
Then, it was weird. They were standing in Cho’s bedroom. Jane clearly hadn’t thought this through. The bed loomed in front of him and the second and third thoughts started piling up in his head. Sleeping together on his couch was one thing, but in a bed? It held more meaning somehow. It had nothing to do with Cho being a man. Jane had always thought all the fuss over which gender sleeps with who was a meaningless exercise in futility. How was it anyone’s business but the people involved? If there’s love and affection, why did anything else matter? No, this was because couples share beds. Was he in a couple with Cho? He had thought he’d come to get some sleep. Why was he thinking about love and affection? He didn’t have an answer.

  
“Ah, never mind, I don’t know what I was thinking. I’ll see you tomorrow, Cho,” looking down, shaking his head, he headed for the door. More like bolted to the door, but Jane wasn’t going to admit that.

  
“Don’t be stupid, Patrick.”

  
That got his attention. He’s not stupid. He stopped and glared at Cho, too tired not to be a little offended. “I’m not being stupid.”

  
“Yes, you are. You’re here. You want to be here. We both sleep better next to each other. It’d be stupid and selfish to leave now.”

  
Jane kept moving toward the door. He wanted to stay, but couldn’t find the right way to do it.

“Asshole.” Cho shocked himself with that one.

“Insults, really?” Now it was Jane’s full intention to leave. He was on his way out the door, really. But something niggled in the back of his brain and he wheeled around on Cho. He was going to ask him something, anything, to figure out what was going on and was momentarily taken aback. It was written all over Cho’s face. He’d made Cho angry. “I hurt him and he’s angry.” The thought floated through his brain. That sparked feelings he didn’t want to think about. It was late. He was tired.  
Cho wasn’t finished. “You let me sleep on your lap. You invited me to join you on the couch. Hell, you drove yourself over here!” Cho’s voice didn’t get louder so much as get more intense. “You woke me up! And now you’re walking out?”

“Yes,” he said simply. Jane had no interest in arguing with Cho. He wasn’t going to rise to the bait. He was off-kilter, out of his element. Why the hell did he ever come here? With determination in his step, he once again strode toward the door.

This time Cho was there in a flash. He had Jane by the wrist, face to the wall, arm twisted against his back. He was pinned to the wall, helpless. It was useless to try to fight Cho.

“Kimball,” Jane whispered, “please don’t hurt me.” It was calculated for maximum guilt and it worked a charm. Cho backed down immediately, but he didn’t completely release Jane from his hold. Instead he turned Jane around, keeping his wrists at his sides, eyes searching Jane’s face, assessing. They were both quiet. Close. The seconds ticked by.

“Stay.”

Jane said nothing, he just watched. Waited.

Suddenly, Cho was kissing him. Forcefully, fully on the mouth. Jane kissed back. Wrestling his wrists free, he grabbed onto Cho’s face on both sides and held on. Cho returned the gesture. For several long moments they were lost, hanging on to each other. No anxieties, no thoughts, no anger, no exhaustion. Just sensation. Safety. “Safety?” Jane questioned in his head. They broke away, both breathing heavily. Jane watched him carefully. Cho, as was often the case, was completely unreadable.

“Shit.…..that…..that was……….what was that….…do that again.” Jane stammered between breaths.

“Can’t. Not angry anymore.”

“You have to be angry to kiss me?”

“Guess so.” Cho shrugged, walking toward the bed.

“Huh.” Jane’s disappointment was on his face. Luckily, Cho had already turned away.

“Now will you get in the bed? I’d like to sleep sometime tonight. Just sleep. Promise”

Jane stepped out of his shoes. There was no need for discussion, Jane was the big spoon, Cho nestled next to him.

“Don’t call me Kimball.”

Jane smiled and squeezed Cho’s shoulder. “I promise.”

 

Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, Jane had to shift positions. He accidentally woke Cho, who shifted himself too to stay in contact. It was Jane who initiated the kiss this time. Softer, gentler, lingering.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” Cho said quietly.

“I can’t believe I missed it”

“What?”

“Nothing. I didn’t know. I should have.” He put his lips back on Cho’s but Cho pulled away.

“You mean Patrick Jane, the smartest man I know, the one who sees all, knows all, didn’t see this coming?” Cho said with a glint in his eye, sarcasm in his voice, but a smile on his face.

“No, of course I knew.” Jane flustered. “Well, I knew you were attracted to me.” Jane had the decency to look down, trying not to sound as conceited as his words. “I didn’t know me.”

“You’ve lost me.” Cho added.

“I didn’t stop to think”

“Think what?!”

“Well, I guess I know now.”

“What do you know?”

Jane raised his eyebrows and looked at Cho like he couldn’t believe he was going to have to say it.

“What are you trying to say, Jane?” Cho said, with a little more vehemence than he meant.

“I want you.”

 

 

That was that. Jane didn’t know it, but he had found one of Cho’s weaknesses, words he couldn’t resist. Cho kissed Jane’s face, down his neck, behind his ears, everywhere skin was exposed. He kissed him on the mouth, this time pushing Jane’s mouth open, finding his tongue with his own.

Saying it out loud, it made it all so much worse. Jane wanted. And he wanted now. He lifted the thin shirt Cho wore to sleep in up and over and off. He let out a deep breath. All those muscles, all that contained ferocity, all controlled by an intelligent mind with the strength of will to get himself out of the gang life. Cho always had his back, could always follow his schemes, always knew what Jane was up to, putting his job and his life on the line routinely to keep Jane safe. Jane hadn’t been this turned on in ages.

Jane couldn’t help it, he had to touch. He ran his hands over the lines of Cho’s muscles, put both hands on his shoulders, trying to reach around to his back. He touched everywhere he could, running his hands down his sides and waist, the small of his back, running them back up to the nape of his neck. It was a kind of fascination, gathering information, learning something new.

For Cho’s part, he was undoing the buttons on Jane’s vest and shirt, taking his time so that Jane would keep touching him. Then it was all skin to skin, chest to chest, and for the next few minutes, they embraced each other, cheeks and ears touching, holding each other close.

Jane nudged Cho over so he could sit up and take off his shirt and vest. “Lay on your stomach”

Cho glanced at Jane, but laid down as requested.  Jane straddled Cho’s back. He wanted to touch. Starting at his shoulders, Jane began massaging his back. He leaned down and whispered, “Beautiful.” He used his fingertips to work the muscles in his back. Jane ran a line of kisses along Cho’s spine. He kept rubbing the muscles and kissing his spine until he got to the waistband of Cho’s shorts.

That’s when Cho turned over and brought Jane up to kiss him again. “Felt good. Thanks” Cho smiled. Jane felt like he won the lottery. They turned onto their sides. Cho decided to chance it and take things further. Hesitantly holding Jane by the hips, he pulled their bodies together. “Unnnnnnngh” they groaned. “Oh man, I had no idea,” Jane’s voice rumbled in his chest. They could feel how hard they were, even through the layers of clothes. They kept grinding like that just because it felt so good. Cho’s eyes rolled back in his head as he rolled their hips.

“Cho, this is new to me, pushing so many buttons at once, you keep doing that, I’m not gonna last.”

“Do it, Patrick. It’s ok.” Cho kissed him, deeply, to make his point.

“Only if you do it with me.”

“Okay, gimme a minute.” Cho was quiet then and began moving with purpose. Jane’s hands were low on his back, feeling the muscles moving beneath his skin. Cho held onto Jane’s hips, guiding him, getting faster. Jane had never felt anything like it.

“Want you, Kimball. You amaze me every day.”

“God, Patrick, wanted you for so long.”

“Can’t believe how much I rely on you, count on you to keep me safe.”

“I’ve never met anyone like you, not gonna risk losing you.”

“Oh. Fuck.”

“Next time.”

Patrick all but screamed his climax, startling a loud groan out of Cho when he responded in kind. Cho couldn’t believe what was happening. He was never loud during sex. Patrick's groans sending tendrils of electricity straight to his groin, making him cry out . He’d unraveled Jane, Jane had unraveled him, and he held tight, not wanting to miss a second of it. Jane was struggling, it was too much, he couldn't stop. He didn’t quite know what to do with himself, how to behave. So he kissed Cho, it was all he could think of to do, to stay grounded when he felt like he was flying apart.

When they finally came down, when their breathing settled and they had taken turns in the bathroom, they went back to their original places, Jane spooning Cho.

“That was incredible, Cho.”

“Yeah. Yeah, it was.”

“You promised we’d just sleep.”

“Yeah, and you promised you wouldn’t call me Kimball.”

And with that they were both out like a light for several hours.


	2. Convincing Jane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after got so much more personal and emotional than either of them meant.

The next morning, Cho woke by himself.  He blinked and sat up in the bed, smoothing over the empty space next to him.  He wasn’t entirely surprised Jane slipped away while he was sleeping.  Climbing out of the blankets, he padded downstairs.  He was surprised, however, to find Jane in his kitchen making breakfast.  After a meal of loosely scrambled eggs and toast, they cleaned up the dishes together.  Finding themselves unoccupied was a little awkward.  Jane stood around, glanced at Cho, Cho puttered around the kitchen trying to look busy.

“Listen, I’ll go.  I’ll get my things” Jane stated with confidence he didn’t feel.

“Um, okay.” Back toward Jane, Cho wasn’t sure what else to say.

Jane turned and went upstairs to gather what few belongings he had on him last night.  He buttoned up his shirt but left his vest open.  He sat down on the bed to put on his shoes. 

“You can stay. If you want. I’m only planning on reading and chores” Cho stood in the door, arms folded, legs crossed, still only dressed in his shorts.

Jane looked up.  “I’d love a cup of tea” Jane said, a huge smile spreading across his face. 

“Are you _trying_ to break my heart?” Cho thought and went over and sat next to him.

“You thought I didn’t want you here.” It was a statement. “I like having you around.  I didn’t know if you wanted to stay.  I like you, Patrick. Not just for sleep and not just ……” he didn’t want to say it, “not just for sex” seemed crass even in his head.

“Yeah, me too.  I mean I like you, too.” Jane jumped in to rescue Cho from completing that sentence.  But he looked sad. Cho missed that smile from a moment ago.

“This is worse than morning after jitters, isn’t it?  You thought you didn’t deserve to be here. You thought you weren’t good enough, not allowed.”

Most of the time, Jane appreciated Cho’s straightforwardness.  This time he was hitting a little too close to home.

“I don’t. I’m not.” He stated with certainty.  Unbidden, tears welled in his eyes. He hung his head, trying to avoid eye contact. He was not going to cry like some spurned teenager.

Cho sat back.  “Hey,” he said quietly.  “It’s ok.”  Cho had underestimated how much self-loathing, guilt and sadness simmered just under the surface for Jane.  He scooped him up into his arms maneuvering Jane’s knees to either side of him and pulled him close so they were forehead to forehead, arms around each other.  “Sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“No, no, no, don’t be sorry,” Jane stammered as he tried to collect himself. “No. Me.  I’m sorry.”

“You misunderstand me,” Cho continued in his quiet voice. 

Jane sat back so he could look into Cho’s face. Searching.

“I’m so, so sorry about what happened to you, what happened to your wife, your daughter.”

A whole new set of tears filled Jane’s eyes now, “Stop” then he was shaking his head. “Don’t.” He looked Cho in the eyes to show him he was serious.

Holding Jane’s face, Cho looked back at him, right in the eye, and calmly said, “No. I want you to hear this from me. It wasn’t your fault. None of it.  You didn’t do it.  You didn’t kill them.” He was whispering by the time he finished, but he was no less certain of what he was saying.  Jane couldn’t stop the tears anymore. They overflowed his eyes and spilled on his cheeks.  He dropped his head onto Cho’s shoulder and let himself cry, shaking against Cho. Cho’s body was solid and sure. No one had ever made him feel protected like Cho did.  No one.  Cho instinctively began rocking Jane gently as he cried. He hoped it was soothing and not patronizing. He knew this was probably his one chance to say something on this topic so he continued. “Red John killed them.  Not you.  If saying something stupid had the power to kill people, we’d all be dead.”

By now, Jane had wrapped his legs and arms around Cho, holding on for dear life.  Cho’s support never wavered.  Jane sobbed soundlessly, breathing deeply.  Cho shushed in his ears, one hand on the back of his head rubbing circles, the other wrapped firmly around his back, waiting him out. It occurred to Cho that it was possible no one had ever told Jane he wasn’t at fault.  Of everything that had happened in the past few minutes, it was this idea that made the tears spring to his own eyes.

People had, from time to time through the years, tried to tell Jane the same thing. He never believed them.  Sophie came closest to convincing him and it was the vague, small hope that she was right that had gotten him out of the psych ward. A few people in Angela’s family and some of his carny friends had said something like it, but he knew they blamed him, no matter what they said.  Hearing it from Cho, in his calm confident way was new. It reached into the dark places and calmed voices.  Cho had no ulterior motives. He believed what he was saying.  He knew almost as much about what happened as Jane did and he believed that Jane was not to blame for his family’s deaths.  Patrick knew he’d never be able to repay this kindness. How do you thank someone for putting pieces of your soul back together?

Jane slowly cried himself out.  He was exhausted.  Cho kept ahold of him until he felt him settle.  It dawned on him after a few minutes that Jane must have fallen to sleep.  Sliding his hands under Jane’s thighs, Cho stood up, easily lifting Jane along with him. He pushed the blankets back and carefully laid Jane down in bed.  He covered him up and tucked him in. He wondered how he ever slept comfortably in his suits, why he didn’t change out of them.  Cho went and got a sweatshirt, his book, and a cup of coffee.  Chores could wait.  He made himself comfortable on the other side of the bed, not wanting Jane to wake up alone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always wanted someone to tell Jane in no uncertain terms that he was not responsible for his family's deaths. He didn't kill them. Red John did. While everyone knows that Red John killed them, Jane is often included in the blame for their deaths. Maybe what he said was stupid, and he didn't think it through, but should that merit the murder of his family, the destruction of his life. I don't think so. Granted Jane is the biggest offender here, but I can't recall anyone telling him that he's not to blame. So here's my fix for that.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written since my SG-1 days and if you asked I'd tell you I'm no author. This isn't one of the more popular ships in the fandom, but if you watch for it, there's quite a bit of fodder for it in the show. I feel like I'm actually shipping something for once. In the truest sense of the word. A pairing that is completely not in canon, entirely a fantasy.


End file.
